N.B. Tories lose candidate in leadership race

The race for the leadership of the New Brunswick Progressive Conservative Party is now a two-man contest.

Riverview MLA Bruce Fitch announced Monday afternoon that he was dropping out of the race and throwing his support behind Robert MacLeod.

MacLeod is vice-president, sales and marketing of G. E. Barbour Inc. of Sussex,which produces such well-known brands as King Cole Tea.He is the son of Malcolm (Mac) MacLeod of Riverview, the former interim leader of the party and a cabinet minister under then premier Richard Hatfield.

Woodstock MLA David Alward is the other candidate in the race to replace former premier Bernard Lord, who resigned in January 2007 after losing the election to the Liberals led by Shawn Graham. Alward, a former agriculture minister, was the first to enter the race in June.

Fitch, who has represented the Riverview riding since 2003 and is a former energy minister and justice minister, threw his hat into the ring in July.

Last month, Fitch became the first leadershiphopeful to release his platform. He vowed to press for a tax credit to lure health professionals to the province and a tax break on home-heating fuel.

The Tories will choose their new leader at a convention to be held at the Aitken Centre at the University of New Brunswick's Fredericton campus on Oct. 18. There will also be at least four satellite voting stations across the province.

The party will be using a one-member, one-vote system.